Apple body shape. What to wear and how to dress your best

Apple body shape. What to wear and how to dress your best

Mariah Carey is a famous and beautiful example for an apple shaped body. She is very busty and has feminine curves. Sometimes she is mistaken as an hourglass body shape; she does not not have the curvy bottom that hourglass women usually have.

Neckline styles for an apple body shape

Fairly low necklines, like V-neck and boat necks draw attention away from your torso and show off your beautiful décolleté.

Collar styles

Open shirt collars and small lapels are great for an an apple body shape. For a V-neck with a collar, wear it up to extend the V-shape.

Sleeve styles

Apple shaped women usually have great arms. Lots of sleeve detail, slits and gathers will draw attention away from your torso to that part.

Show off the parts that you love about yourself, e.g. your shapely arms or beautiful shoulders. Keeping the rest in one color will make you look longer and leaner overall.

Tops & Shirts

Tops with diagonal lines and big prints and texture work well for an apple body shape. They are better than solid colors to hide some extra weight around the tummy. Monochromatic looks are great as well, so try to go for a top and trouser / skirt in the same color.

Well-structured fabrics are great for your tops and shirts. They conceal your tummy and create a rigid shape that creates balance with your slim legs. Good fabrics for an apple body shape are among others: cord, linen, Thai silk, tweed, canvas, brocade and gabardine.

Empire, banded and swing tops are great for you as well as tops with a trapeze form. Avoid crop tops and skinny tight tops that mark every bulge that you wish to disguise. No jersey fabric. Tops with gathered fabric on the sides or center will also hide your tummy as well as floating tops, shirts and blouses (as long as they remain rigid on your shoulders);

Tip 1: Wear a good bra – lifting your bust is the first step for a well-defined waistline.

Tip 2: Do not tuck your top in your pants or skirt and make sure it is long enough to cover your tummy.

Vests

Your vest should cover the middle and not be too figure-hugging. Go for V-necks and small lapels; avoid ruffles or anything else that adds volume around the bust line.

Jacket styles for an apple body shape

Jackets are better short (hipbone short) and with structured lines and fabrics, with buttons below the bust line. Make sure that it’s snug on the shoulders. Sometimes, leaving the jacket open will create a long vertical line that cuts up the width of your torso. Avoid belted and double breasted jackets, unless the belt is just under your bust (empire style).

Coats

Coats with A-line or small lapels are great as well as empire cut coats. Also long straight coats worn open look great, especially if you wear a contrasting color on the top underneath. Tailored knee length belted trench-coats and classic long coats with opened buttons are ok for an apple body shape.

Dress styles for an apple body shape

Go for bias cut and wrap knit dresses. Jersey are great for an apple body shape if it is weighty jersey. Dresses with center front ruffle details and belted shirt-dresses will also work.

Look for dresses in patterns (diagonal lines and big prints) and texture. They are great in disguising your tummy.

Avoid fine jersey and stay away from dresses made of delicate fabrics as they might create volume.

Tip 1: Your legs are one of your greatest assets, so you might as well show some…

Skirt styles

Chose your pants in a lighter or brighter color than your top – or in the same hue; the latter will make you look slimmer overall. PS: A tunic would have been better than a straight shirt with these skinny pants.

Trousers

Choose pants and jeans with flat front, mid or low rise, boot cut, cargo pocket or flared. You can wear capris and walk shorts as long as they are also with flat front, low rise, boot cut, or flared. The skinny jeans or leggings look is possible for you: it just depends on the dress or tunic you wear with it and the footwear (e.g. calf length boots are great). Side-fastening trousers are great to avoid extra bulk around your tummy.
Avoid very tapered pants as this will accentuate your slim legs and make your top look larger. Also a no go for an apple body shape: High waisted or pleated pants.

Jeans

Jeans should have a flat front and either low rise or mid rise with a wide waistband that sits flat on the tummy. They can be boot cut or flared. Trouser jeans are also great!

Jumpsuit styles

Jumpsuits are unforgiving, especially for apple shaped women. A jumpsuit that is wider around your midriff in a short length will shift the attention to your great legs. You can also go for a monochromatic jumpsuit and wear a knee length coat in a different color on top.

Accessories

Draw the eye away from your tummy with earrings or hair ornaments, but stay away from chunky jewelry close to your bust.

When wearing a belt, wear it on the empire line – just below your bust.

Show off your great legs!

Shoe styles for an apple body shape

With an apple body shape, you have slim legs, slim calves and ankles; as a result you can wear strappy sandals and ballet flats, especially those with rounded toes. Your heels should be either mid or high heel.

You can wear a lot of color and detail in your shoes.

When buying shoes, you should also look out for some balance out your top half with some substance, e.g. with platform shoes and sandals, wedge sandals, clog mules and calf-length boots.

If you chose an outfit in one hue – why not add a little glam with a bright bag?

Bags

One of your options as an apple body shape is to shift the attention to the hip area. Messenger bags, a shopper, over the shoulder bags as well as other bags with longer handles can do the trick. For an elegant look, chose bag to carry over your arm.

Keep in mind that the size of your body is important. If you are small, better choose a small handbag. Over the shoulder bags should not sit below the hips, of the shoulder bags should hang at the level of the bust for an apple body shape. If you are big, choose a bigger handbag – from medium size to large bags. You have a wide range of choices.

Swimwear & Beachwear

For a one-piece swimsuit: V-neck or empire waist styles that separate your bust from your tummy are great. To disguise your tummy, buy one with ruching and firm stomach panels.

For a two piece: A tankini or something with tiers, draping, and ruching around the waist does wonders for your beautiful figure.

Works for both for an apple body shape: High cut bottoms show your slim legs.

2 Comments

Great tips …some I would have done opposite but now I see how it all comes to gather …empire waists do not work well on me… I have small bust and I think it draws more attention to my tummy..I find cotton fitted full skirt dress do better .

Rosaleen, I am happy that you already found which of the style advice applies (and which you better ignore). Many of the tips here are for apple shaped women with a big bust! You can use much of the advice and add tips to add volume to your bust: ruffles, beautiful details at your neckline, big chunky necklaces,…
Best,
Ena